Forever
by mackenzie925
Summary: Clark shares a dance with someone special ... and shares his life with someone special, as well. A ficlet.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE: Forever**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: I'll say mystery … **

**Spoilers: None really. **

**Author's Note: **I have archived this on K-site, but I thought I would archive it here, as well. My second Smallville fic, the first being _Grow Into You._ Thanks for reading! And reviews are very welcome!

_**Chapter One Title: The Dance**_

Lana stepped out onto the balcony into the warm summer air, the soft breeze a wonderful escape from the confines of the ballroom. From the pang of regret etched at the edge of her heart. Slowly she stepped to the railing just ahead and placed her hands on the stiff, decorated metal, allowing her eyes to get trapped in the city below. The skyline of Metropolis always took her breath away, its image like that of a dream – especially in the late hours of twilight. Usually it offered hope of a new tomorrow, a treasure trove of promises yet to come.

Tonight she wanted to succumb, to let the black hole of the city's life, its deep, dangerous side engulf her forever.

Among her sorrowful thoughts, Lana neglected to hear footsteps come up from behind. It took an entire thirty seconds before she sensed his presence, a life force she has come to know so well over the years. _A life force so powerful_. Never did she expect _him_ to be standing here with her. Not now.

Yet he owed her this. In some way, after everything, she deserved this moment with him more than anything.

_Clark._

Carefully she glanced over her shoulder to gaze at him, his eyes carrying a well of mixed emotions. What Lana did not know was that Clark's own thoughts dwelled mainly on how beautiful she looked tonight; in a long, red dress, with the lights of Metropolis as her background, and the stars above that highlighted every feature. Such an intense gaze he has given her often enough, maybe every time he has seen her, and tonight would be no exception.

With a soft smile, he outstretched his hand, he offered her this moment.

_Clark and Lana – and no one else_.

She let her eyes wander over his tall frame, handsome beyond words in a stunning, black tuxedo. And though so much must be said, to be discussed, Lana could do nothing but accept. An action she has done so many times before. To step easily into his arms. To let him take the lead into something amazing.

On cue, as if planned … _fate_ …

… _the music began to play_ …

**_Looking back  
On the memory of__  
The dance we shared_**_**  
Beneath the stars above** _

It hummed gracefully in the ballroom behind them, its echo, its melody barely heard through the cracked French door to the very balcony they danced upon. Some notes were lost to the humidity thick air that hovered around them, while others didn't quite make the journey across the full room, so packed with dancers, lovers, friends, and family.

**_For a moment  
All the world was right  
How could I have known  
That you'd ever say goodbye_**

But the words rang an irrevocable truth. One neither could deny.

_**And now  
I'm glad I didn't know  
The way it all would end  
The way it all would go**  
_

In his eyes, Lana saw their past. What once had been. The friendship, the relationship, everything they promised each other, all they had survived together, had been through. What they meant to each other, so strong, so powerful to accentuate the rest of their lives. To be apart of the definition of whom they each would become. And in those same eyes, the same she stared into so often before, Lana saw the love Clark felt for her still existed on some level. _Even now_.

_**Our lives  
Are better left to chance  
I could have missed the pain  
But I'd of had to miss the dance** _

So many of the good memories in his eyes, in hers … yet the unwanted and the difficult, as well. The memories that lead them here, to this moment, to a separate contentment neither expected nor counted on.

**_Holding you_  
_I held everything  
For a moment_  
**_**Wasn't I a king** _

The intensity of revisiting the past, a past full of happiness and pain, so overwhelming, almost broke her, as tears formed at the edge of her eyes. Daring to reveal her frailty in front of the one man she could not dare show weakness. Not now, at the time she needed to be strong for him. _For herself_.

**_But if I'd only known  
How the king would fall  
Hey who's to say  
You know I might have changed it all_**

Lana felt a soft smile tug at her lips, through her sadness, as the familiar smell, feel, and aura of Clark Kent was coming back to her. An aura he gave off that was distinctly him and no one else. But in his arms, as her own wrapped around to his back, her head drifted to his shoulder, something definitely seemed different from before. Something she could not ignore, a distance she has never felt before while in Clark's arms.

_**And now I'm glad I didn't know  
The way it all would end the way it all would go  
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain  
But I'd of had to miss the dance**_

Though they danced close, though it felt intimate, Lana knew Clark held something back from her. Part of himself she was not allowed to see anymore. A shield over his heart she has never had to deal with before now. So strange, so different and unreal. Something he always shared before, never neglected to unlock just for her.

_**Y****es my life  
Is better left to chance**_

But now … she was no longer _the one_.

**_I could have missed the pain  
But I'd of had to miss the dance_**

The song eased to a close, as symbolic and meaningful as Lana could imagine. Though she never thought it would be like this, though she never guessed everything they shared together might come to an end here, all of it … _the pain, the sorrow, the happiness, the joy_ … was worth it.

Of course they would still be friends. Lana would hope so. But it would never be the same again. And in some respect, a farewell to a lost but never forgotten time was in order.

Lana stepped back slightly, looked into his eyes once more. His smile, soft and tender, gave her the farewell, the change of venue, the change of friendship and meaning that she needed.

And with a smile of her own, Lana leaned in and placed a sweet kiss to his cheek. Lingering for a second, for a moment to whisper in his ear, to ensure only he heard, "Thanks for the dance."

Clark gave her a kiss on the cheek in return. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

With one more squeeze to his hand, Lana walked past his still form, returned to the ballroom, and left him alone on the balcony.

-----------------------------------------

_on to chapter 2 ... _


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is Chapter 2 :-) **

_**------------------------------------------------------------ **_

_**Chapter Title: What's To Come …**_

Clark listened to the click of her shoes walk across the balcony, and then smiled faintly as the sound faded away as she disappeared completely. With a soft sigh, he stepped to the railing and placed a hand on it, tracing its rough texture in his palm. He let his eyes take in the wonderful site before him, the sky, the night, the summer air, and the lights of an ever-busy city. And before too long, he felt a slim yet strong hand clasp his own from behind.

He turned, still awed by her beauty in such an exquisite, white dress, and said softly, "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Chloe chided in return, leaning in just enough to give him a sweet kiss. Though he smiled, she easily sensed a bit of concern … or perhaps melancholy in his features. "Is everything all right?"

Clark glanced away for a second, his face turning from concern to ease and revelation as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and replied genuinely, "It is." He looked back to her then, and smiled. "Everything's wonderful."

Chloe nodded, while lacing her hand through his arm, content to leave the situation at that. Because in his eyes she saw the ocean of worry turn back to the blissful and giddy blur they both endured all day. "So, _Mr. Kent_," she began serious, though with a light undertone, "what do you want to do now?"

Clark couldn't keep the grin off of his face now, pleased with how everything went with Lana, and excited with everything that is yet to come with Chloe. _Excited, _actually, just didn't describe it well enough. "Well, I don't know, _Mrs. Kent_ … ," he replied playfully, gently pulling her into his strong arms, "I can think of a couple of things."

"Oh yeah?" Chloe asked, an eyebrow perched in anticipation, as her arms moved up and around his neck. "What kind of things?"

Clark responded only by a soft kiss to her lips, the feel of them warm and inviting. Soft touches that, from this moment, he would always have and could always depend on.

Even though his youth carried with it a strong love for Lana – his adulthood carried with it his true love. A love, deep and intimate, that he never understood until he let Chloe show him. Show him what was here, between them, that neither new was ever here, was ever so stronger than now.

Chloe's lips traced delicately across his once more before she softly broke away, only to grab his face in her hands and lean her forehead against his. Only to stare in his eyes with a deep ocean of love that would never dry up.

Once again, a new song began to play in the background. The same muffled echo, yet a different melody to dance through the night air.

**_Like a river flows  
Surely to the sea__  
Darling, so it goes__  
Some things are meant to be_**

Clark kissed her once more, a bit more passionate than the last. Easing his lips to her cheek, across her jaw line, and finally to her ear – "I love you, Chloe …".

Chloe let her mind drift with the words, their meaning strong, his voice soft yet firm in his declaration. And it was all she ever wanted to hear from this day forward. The one thing that both could always believe in.

_**Take my hand  
Take my whole life, too** _

Yet before she could respond, Clark picked her up playfully in his arms and buried his face in her neck. She laughed lightly, perhaps more like a giggle, as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. For the rest of her life, she would awe at his strength, would smile into his eyes, and would love him with all her heart.

**_For I can't help  
Falling in love with you_**

Underneath the stars, underneath the night sky, underneath the muffled sounds and song of the ballroom, and beyond the Metropolis skyline … Clark twirled her playfully before kissing her passionately.

**_For I can't help_**

Against his lips, Chloe smiled …

_Because tonight_ …

_**Falling in love … with you**_

… _they promised each other forever._.

_**fade out song …**_

_**fin.**_

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_Thanks for reading! Reviews Welcome!_


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